Unprofessional Without A Witness [Discontinued]

14

They were all shivering, standing on Dalton's track and avoiding the dewy grass.

An actual fire.

First they had thought it was some cruel prank, and then they realized it was serious. It wasn't a drill.

A firefighter walked out of the building, the fire having been put out. He handed the headmaster something and exchanged a few words with him.

Then the headmaster walked over to them, expression steely. He held it up.

The small, red lighter.

"Whose is this?" he asked furiously.

Nobody answered.

"Duval, Montgomery, in my office."

"Sir-" Nick started.

"No excuses. The fire was in your dorm."

They followed him, Wes soundless. Nick was nearly shaking. He couldn't get expelled, Wes couldn't get expelled, but they had to sort this out.

They got to the office all too soon.

"Boys, can either of you tell me what this is from?" he didn't look furious, rather concerned. "Did you lock your dorm?"

"What?" Nick asked, confused.

"I know it wasn't you two. You're trustworthy students, you'd never do something so rash."

"I don't know, maybe we did forget to lock it-"

Two simple words from Wes cut Nick off.

"It's mine."

The headmaster looked stunned. Wes looked up at him for the first time.

"Sir, the lighter's mine."

"Why did you have it?" His anger showed through his shock and concern.

Wes shrugged. "I don't know."

"Wes," Nick said.

He looked over at him. "What?"

"You know perfectly well why you had it."

His eyes flashed a warning that Nick ignored. He grabbed Wes's wrist, despite his struggling, and shoved up his sleeve.

It looked so much worse in full lighting.

Wes wrenched his arm away from Nick, shoving down his sleeve. "What the hell, Nick?" he hissed.

"You need help!"

"I don't deserve it."

The headmaster's anger was gone, replaced by horror and concern. "Mr. Montgomery, I'm going to have to speak to your parents-"

"No!" Wes yelped, looking away from Nick. "Please, please don't tell them. The fire is fine, but not this."

"Wesley, the fire is no longer a concern. It was clearly an accident, and you clearly aren't in the right mental space to be blamed from bringing a lighter to school. You, and what you did to yourself, is a concern."

"What if it wasn't an accident?" Wes asked.

Nick looked over at him, realizing something. "Wes, are you trying to get yourself in trouble? It was an accident, it fell on the ground."

Wes looked down at the ground. "Maybe," he said, voice barely above a whisper.

"Why?"

"A charge with arson would land me in jail. That's better than my situation now." They could hardly hear him.

"Wesley, what's going on?" the headmaster's voice was gentle.

Wes swallowed.

"My father... Hurts me."